Stories from a real life cowpuncher that will give you a smile and a glimpse of God.

Some angels aren’t even from Texas.

by Kevin on July 6, 2010

Yesterday, I received one of the nicest emails I have ever received. It wasn’t a forward or a joke, it was one the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.

Sunday, I preached a sermon on the need to grow and spiritually mature. I asked the question, “What would our church look like if you were the only representative?” The herd (the church) isn’t a group of individuals hiding behind everyone else. We are individuals that all have a part to play and role in the body of Christ. You can hear the whole sermon by clicking here.

I was at the ranch by myself yesterday and working like dung beetle in a feed lot. I was so overwhelmed by all the work that needed to be done that I got just a little bit discouraged and didn’t get even half of the stuff done that I wanted to.

I was going to go out and clean up the exploded flying front porch out of the arena, but the nearly 5 inches of rain that God blessed us with this past week kept me from being able to get in there with the truck. The return alley on the arena is still lying on the ground from the same storm on Father’s Day that divorced the porch from the house.

I just hadn’t been able to get the motivation to get all that cleaned up. Maybe there was a reason for that. This is an email that I got yesterday from a woman that has recently moved to Fort Stockton. She and her family have been attending the church for a couple of months. I don’t know her or her family as well as I would like, but you will be able to see what a remarkable person she is from reading her email.

A call to action, AKA: Onward Christian Soldiers

Community Service. No, not the kind you do when you get in trouble (unless there is a need), but the kind we do to help out our neighbors.

A recent rash of West Texas storms have done damage to those in our community.

“What will our church look like?” You asked us yesterday, and this is my reply: I want to form a team, of any interested, and help those people in our church, and in our community who have need of an extra hand.

The next time it might be me. – And I stink at asking for help. It is one of my worst qualities. I will cling to my pride (Yes, that pride. The one that goeth before a fall), and try to do it all myself.

So, if I set up a network of friends, to help those in need. Then perhaps I can work on my own prideful instincts.

My Mom had a name for this: the Work Party. Which involved much more work than party. It was the bane of my existence. And yet, as an adult, I see the advantage, and reach back to my roots to gather that which is good for me.

So: Week one, I propose, is to pick up a certain man’s arena free from the porch that landed there. We will, of course, salvage out any wood that can be reused; and discard those that can not be salvaged.

As for my team (to be disclosed at a later date), we will require a simple meal (perhaps Pizza) and either cold or hot drinks (depending on the weather). Were this my home, I would consider this a fair trade for letting my friends help me out. As for ‘payment’ it fits in nicely with two of my core beliefs: 1 from my father- Never turn down a free meal; and 2 from Economics 101: There is no free lunch.

Finally, I would like to point out that my kids were differently blessed than I: they have always lived in town. Thus, they have missed out on the feeling of accomplishment that comes along with a hard days work. And though I grew up on a farm, I trust that a ranch is similar enough to provide a lot of work to be done.

This brings me to my final note, a nickname bequethed to me sometime in my long-lost childhood, when I represented my town as its ‘queen’:

Better-Late-than-Never Heather

PS I will be happy to provide, upon request, the scriptures and quotes by hailed philosophers and writers much greater than I, which led me to this decision.

PPS If this is better, then ignore the rest: My family and I would really like to help you with your storm clean up; If you will let us.

Why did this mean so much to me?

Here are just a few reasons why this touched my heart so much:

Someone actually listened to a sermon and took action based upon what God spoke to their heart about.

This isn’t some friend of years and years. I bet our conversations haven’t exceeded a total of 5 minutes.

She’s not a local from Coyanosa or Fort Stockton.

I don’t even think she is a Texan by birth.

God sometimes sends us messages by way of angels, five of them in this instance. And they came all the way out to West Texas from the state of Washington to show me what God really likes the heart of His children to look like.

I really enjoy your website posts here 🙂 :)..This one was just awesome…what a blessing…five angels to help out 🙂 🙂

I know I’ve had people do stuff like that for me…I’m sure if I really put some thought into it, I would come up with a quite a few examples. The one that really sticks out in my mind is some friends that helped my dad and I during an even more difficult than now financial time. My dad and I share an apartment and split all expenses straight down the middle…It’s cheaper and makes a dollar stretch further.
However for a period of about a year…things were really, really bad financially. So bad that there were a few times we came close to having to move from our apartment…and not sure where to go next. A longtime family friend of ours…and that friend’s family…helped us out financiall for a WHOLE YEAR…paid rent etc…bills, sometimes food…I remember my dad telling me that when they offered to help…It came directly from them without any prompting from my dad…AND there was no doubt in their mi nds that it was the right thing to do….period. They felt God wanted them to do this..

Wow, it’s hard to explain the gratitude one feels until you’ve been in a situation like that where you have no choice but to depend on God and others. They own a business in Jacksonville, OR and my dad and I have prayed constantly that God would bless them many times over for the kindness they extended towards us 🙂 🙂

Anyway, I “chatter” quite a bit with the help of a keyboard. So I’ll stop now.. thanks for sharing this. This was an awesome post!!!

I must say that I cried as I read this post. This is the heart that all of us should have as followers of Christ. If a brother/sister is in need we should flock to their rescue. I praise God for those that hear and respond to God’s voice.

Kevin

I felt the same way Larry. No one besides my family has ever done anything like that for me. I have thanked God every day for her and her family.